Jane MacKintosh, 2015

I am a Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Consultant working on the Central Coast of New South Wales with a particular interest in education and improving end of life care in all settings. I have worked in Specialist Palliative Care roles in Australia and New Zealand since 1998 across acute hospital consultancy, inpatient hospice and community services. I am currently undertaking my Masters in Palliative Care through Flinders University.

Access to appropriate symptom management and holistic end of life care for people with a life limiting illness is the hallmark of a compassionate society. In the 1990’s, I spent 7 years in Tanzania, East Africa and had the privilege of working alongside a team providing care for people suffering and dying from HIV AIDS. Experiencing the poverty and paucity of even the most basic resources, and despite these restrictions, the willingness of the people to increase their understanding and improve care was humbling. We have much to learn from these colleagues and the patients for whom they care and even a small involvement in an Hamrahi project may contribute to better outcomes for the dying.